Easter.

Today is Easter. For some, it means little; for some, it means a lot; for some, it’s another holiday to buy cards and candy for. Unfortunately, that’s how a lot of holidays get defined these days. Did I pick up that thing for so and so? I forgot a card! I didn’t get anything for them. And we continue to feel pressured into doing things that we don’t necessarily want to do. For some, it’s the 2nd day out of the year that they see family members, or for some, it’s the only day they enter the doors of a church. Some could say that holidays are what you make them; and others would disagree.

I remember asking myself a few times when I was younger, which holiday I thought more important: Christmas or Easter? You can’t have one without the other, so the easy answer would be that they are equal. They’re celebrated differently – we most definitely celebrate Christmas for more than just one day, but Easter seems to be the holiday that we celebrate and quickly keep on moving.

I dare to say that we are not religious or old fashion for observing Easter weekend as both somber and joyful. All that we have and are able to inherit is because of the cross. I say somber because even hours before Jesus was crucified, the Bible says He was distressed and prays the words, “Abba, take this cup from me.”

All that we are and have opportunity to become is because of the cross; because that cup was not passed. We are not made right because of a man made idea or even through our own striving. It seems as though we would like to think that; in fact, a lot of people are carrying around weights that they were never meant to carry because of that belief system. Spoiler alert: the cross makes a way for us to never have to strive again.

Our ability to receive and partake in reconciliation is because of the cross.

Do we even fully understand what reconciliation is, and where it plays out in our lives? Answer: no.

In all seriousness, take time to think of what has been done for you. Despite our best efforts, it has nothing to do with us and the reality of this truth is that even in the midst of our darkest moments, thoughts, actions, etc. the cross has been made readily available to us. Every day, the cross waits for us; in fact, it begs us to come closer to Him.